PSALMS 81-86

« Psalm 80 | Psalms 81-86 | Psalm 87 »

God’s Goodness and Israel’s Waywardness.For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph.
81:1 Sing for joy to God our strength;

Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.

2 Raise a song, strike the timbrel,

The sweet sounding lyre with the harp.

3 Blow the trumpet at the new moon,

At the full moon, on our feast day.

4 For it is a statute for Israel,

An ordinance of the God of Jacob.

5 He established it for a testimony in Joseph

When he went throughout the land of Egypt.

I heard a language that I did not know:

6 “I relieved his shoulder of the burden,

His hands were freed from the basket.

7 “You called in trouble and I rescued you;

I answered you in the hiding place of thunder;

I proved you at the waters of Meribah. Selah.

8 “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you;

O Israel, if you would listen to Me!

9 “Let there be no strange god among you;

Nor shall you worship any foreign god.

10 “I, the LORD, am your God,

Who brought you up from the land of Egypt;

Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

11 “But My people did not listen to My voice,

And Israel did not obey Me.

12 “So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart,

To walk in their own devices.

13 “Oh that My people would listen to Me,

That Israel would walk in My ways!

14 “I would quickly subdue their enemies

And turn My hand against their adversaries.

15 “Those who hate the LORD would pretend obedience to Him,

And their time of punishment would be forever.

16 “But I would feed you with the finest of the wheat,

And with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.”

Unjust Judgments Rebuked.A Psalm of Asaph.
82:1 God takes His stand in His own congregation;

He judges in the midst of the rulers.

2 How long will you judge unjustly

And show partiality to the wicked? Selah.

3 Vindicate the weak and fatherless;

Do justice to the afflicted and destitute.

4 Rescue the weak and needy;

Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.

5 They do not know nor do they understand;

They walk about in darkness;

All the foundations of the earth are shaken.

6 I said, “You are gods,

And all of you are sons of the Most High.

7 “Nevertheless you will die like men

And fall like any one of the princes.”

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth!

For it is You who possesses all the nations.

God Implored to Confound His Enemies.A Song, a Psalm of Asaph.
83:1 O God, do not remain quiet;

Do not be silent and, O God, do not be still.

2 For behold, Your enemies make an uproar,

And those who hate You have exalted themselves.

3 They make shrewd plans against Your people,

And conspire together against Your treasured ones.

4 They have said, “Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation,

That the name of Israel be remembered no more.”

5 For they have conspired together with one mind;

Against You they make a covenant:

6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

Moab and the Hagrites;

7 Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,

Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

8 Assyria also has joined with them;

They have become a help to the children of Lot. Selah.

9 Deal with them as with Midian,

As with Sisera and Jabin at the torrent of Kishon,

10 Who were destroyed at En-dor,

Who became as dung for the ground.

11 Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb

And all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

12 Who said, “Let us possess for ourselves

The pastures of God.”

13 O my God, make them like the whirling dust,

Like chaff before the wind.

14 Like fire that burns the forest

And like a flame that sets the mountains on fire,

15 So pursue them with Your tempest

And terrify them with Your storm.

16 Fill their faces with dishonor,

That they may seek Your name, O LORD.

17 Let them be ashamed and dismayed forever,

And let them be humiliated and perish,

18 That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD,

Are the Most High over all the earth.

Longing for the Temple Worship.For the choir director; on the Gittith. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
84:1 How lovely are Your dwelling places,

O LORD of hosts!

2 My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD;

My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

3 The bird also has found a house,

And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young,

Even Your altars, O LORD of hosts,

My King and my God.

4 How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!

They are ever praising You. Selah.

5 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You,

In whose heart are the highways to Zion!

6 Passing through the valley of Baca they make it a spring;

The early rain also covers it with blessings.

7 They go from strength to strength,

Every one of them appears before God in Zion.

8 O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;

Give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah.

9 Behold our shield, O God,

And look upon the face of Your anointed.

10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside.

I would rather stand at the threshold of the house of my God

Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD gives grace and glory;

No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.

12 O LORD of hosts,

How blessed is the man who trusts in You!

Prayer for God’s Mercy upon the Nation.For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
85:1 O LORD, You showed favor to Your land;

You restored the captivity of Jacob.

2 You forgave the iniquity of Your people;

You covered all their sin. Selah.

3 You withdrew all Your fury;

You turned away from Your burning anger.

4 Restore us, O God of our salvation,

And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.

5 Will You be angry with us forever?

Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?

6 Will You not Yourself revive us again,

That Your people may rejoice in You?

7 Show us Your lovingkindness, O LORD,

And grant us Your salvation.

8 I will hear what God the LORD will say;

For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones;

But let them not turn back to folly.

9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,

That glory may dwell in our land.

10 Lovingkindness and truth have met together;

Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.

11 Truth springs from the earth,

And righteousness looks down from heaven.

12 Indeed, the LORD will give what is good,

And our land will yield its produce.

13 Righteousness will go before Him

And will make His footsteps into a way.

A Psalm of Supplication and Trust.A Prayer of David.
86:1 Incline Your ear, O LORD, and answer me;

For I am afflicted and needy.

2 Preserve my soul, for I am a godly man;

O You my God, save Your servant who trusts in You.

3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,

For to You I cry all day long.

4 Make glad the soul of Your servant,

For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,

And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

And give heed to the voice of my supplications!

7 In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You,

For You will answer me.

8 There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord,

Nor are there any works like Yours.

9 All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord,

And they shall glorify Your name.

10 For You are great and do wondrous deeds;

You alone are God.

11 Teach me Your way, O LORD;

I will walk in Your truth;

Unite my heart to fear Your name.

12 I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,

And will glorify Your name forever.

13 For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,

And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

14 O God, arrogant men have risen up against me,

And a band of violent men have sought my life,

And they have not set You before them.

15 But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth.

16 Turn to me, and be gracious to me;

Oh grant Your strength to Your servant,

And save the son of Your handmaid.

17 Show me a sign for good,

That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,

Because You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

« Psalm 80 | Psalms 81-86 | Psalm 87 »